The Drake's sales guy just popped by the place where I am staying. We had a nice discussion about how beer, IPA's in particular, are trending toward not being just beer, but being a fruit added, blended with oak chips, married to some freaky flavor, beer. He basically said that due to the backbone of IPA's, brewers are using this as a canvas to experiment with different flavor profiles to offer a flavor for different tastes.

I suggested he go back to his boss and tell them to cut this crap out. I want an IPA when I order a IPA. Not a Lollipop of flavors. He gave me a sampler bottle of their new IPA.

BigMcK wrote:The Drake's sales guy just popped by the place where I am staying. We had a nice discussion about how beer, IPA's in particular, are trending toward not being just beer, but being a fruit added, blended with oak chips, married to some freaky flavor, beer. He basically said that due to the backbone of IPA's, brewers are using this as a canvas to experiment with different flavor profiles to offer a flavor for different tastes.

I suggested he go back to his boss and tell them to cut this crap out. I want an IPA when I order a IPA. Not a Lollipop of flavors. He gave me a sampler bottle of their new IPA.

Nothing wrong with not liking IPAs. There are plenty of other great styles and lots of breweries who offer other styles. IPAs have become an unbearably trendy style in the last few years but I think that is beginning to change. This spring has brought an influx of excellent Berliner-weiße and göse styles to the market. Sour biers are looking they will be the next big thing. As someone who loves a good IPA along with many other styles, this change is refreshing. With everyone putting out an IPA, there has been a lot of so so offerings but like anything, the cream tends to rise to the top. The best IPAs in my opinion are mostly the same ones I loved 3 years ago.

BadHands71 wrote:Nothing wrong with not liking IPAs. There are plenty of other great styles and lots of breweries who offer other styles. IPAs have become an unbearably trendy style in the last few years but I think that is beginning to change. This spring has brought an influx of excellent Berliner-weiße and göse styles to the market. Sour biers are looking they will be the next big thing. As someone who loves a good IPA along with many other styles, this change is refreshing. With everyone putting out an IPA, there has been a lot of so so offerings but like anything, the cream tends to rise to the top. The best IPAs in my opinion are mostly the same ones I loved 3 years ago.

I agree, but as more breweries have operations closer to the point of consumption, I'm rediscovering some new IPA's that I didn'like before. I travel quite a bit these days and find myself telling servers in restaurants "what do you have on tap that is local and hoppy?", and they all know exactly what to give me... its a great way to try some new stuff.

Speaking of which, I had Cigar City Jai Alai last night with dinner... Excellent brew.

What was your high school\ college days beer of choice. I guess choice is the wrong word. What was the beer you bought cause you could afford it.

We always had Milwalkees(sp) best in high school, and Keystone ice in my college days.

Had a Natty light the other day and it just took me back to those good ol days and those "oh god why did I drink so much" nights. I think a lot of people call these Dad beers. cause your dad used to drink them or D.A.D stands for (Drink All Day) beers.

In college, Keystone, or Budweiser when we wanted to be big spenders (the microbrew revolution wasn't imagined at that point, heck, Labatt's was considered exotic ).

Now... so many from which to choose, and new selections all the time, but Ommegang, Founder's, and Dogfish Head are the go-to favorites. Doesn't hurt that we've visited all three, and they each have very well run organizations and amazing food. Those guys and gals do it right.